45/70 season

[Ranger J]

I got all my deer with a 45/70 this season and learned a few things about the cartridge, I think.  The first one was a large doe and I used my 1895 Marlin.  I had the gun sighted in with 300 gr. HP Rems over 49 gr. Re#7.  This load gave outstanding accuracy but I worried about the speed with that bullet.  Also if I didn't take care with this load the end of the scope would tap the middle of my nose.  I guess I got excited with this deer as it was about 50 yards or so and I forgot the gun was sighted in at 100.  The shot went high and got the deer right in the tenderloin area.  The deer went right down with an exit wound I could stick my fist in.  Bummer on the meat damage.  I like the accuracy of the load but think I will drop it to trapdoor level and see what I get.  Also I think a sight in at 50 yards is more in line with the distance I am likely to shoot.  Later in the week I took the Handi out.  I had it loaded with a 300-gr. laser cast bullet over a trapdoor load of 2400.  I wasn't in the stand for maybe a half-hour or so when what turned out to be a good size button buck comes out about 60 yards.  The shot from the Handi put him right down and I started to climb down from the stand to go get him when darned if he didn't stagger to his feet and start to walk off.  I gave him another round and he went down to stay this time.  Both these loads passed completely through but had small exit wounds.  Both were high, gun was sighted in at 100 yards too (I'm a slow learner) and the second shot just clipped the top of the lungs.  It was a kick to shoot the deer with the old round but for next year I need to learn some lessons.  1. Sight both guns in at 50 yards.  2. Load both guns at trapdoor loads.  That is plenty to put down the deer and it is easier on the shoulder.  3.  Check out the Handi with the Rem HP or the Rem 405 SP.

RJ

[Scibaer]

thanks for the report and congrats on the harvests.
im planning on moving into the 45-70 myself and appreciate the reports on how it preforms.
are you using the handi or buff classic ?

[Ranger J]

I'm using the regular Handi as that is the only barrel I have at present.  At one time I also had a .308, a 44 mag and a.223 but got rid of them.  If the good reports continue with the new .44 mags I will have to get one and probably a .357 also.  I have heard very few bad mouth the 45/70 and it is a blast to shoot.

RJ

[Stan in SC]

I have two 45/70's.One is a Handi rifle and the other is a Marlin Model 1895.I use the same load on both of them.300 grain Remington JHP over 40 gr. of Rel7.This is an accurate,not too harsh load and it is not moving too fast to properly expand in a small framed white tail.Too many people reload to the hottest thing they can stand not thinking about the fact that you have to have bullet expansion.A big old 45 caliber JHP bullet just can't expand properly when moving too fast.

Stan

[Scibaer]

like the saying goes,
slow and fat is where its at
 

[woodchukhntr]

My friend has a marlin that he loads up pretty good.  His kids get a good laugh when the recoil pushes him back and lifts the gun up pretty high.  I have a Handi that I load with Hornady 350's to around 1400 fps.  Reasonable recoil considering I don't like recoil and the gun doesn't have a recoil pad.  With such a big bullet, I don't need elephant gun performance, I only need to make a good shot and let the bullet do it's work.

[Mac11700]

Too many people reload to the hottest thing they can stand not thinking about the fact that you have to have bullet expansion.A big old 45 caliber JHP bullet just can't expand properly when moving too fast.

I got news for ya...they open great and kill with authority...they faster they are driven...the faster they open...Try some 300 grain partitions or Speer Uni-cores at 2400fps...You will see just how good they work...

Mac

[PeterCartwright]

The worst damage I've ever inflicted on a whitetail was with the 300 gr. Remington Core-lokt hollow point (factory load).  I pulled a "from me to you" (20 yards?) shot on a doe into her shoulders.  (Shooter error!)  The entire front half (both front quarters) were completely ruined.  If my one experience with this bullet is representative, the 300 gr. Remington hollow point must be pretty soft.

[Ranger J]

With the two guns and the two loads I seemed to have gone from one extreme to the the other, from a bullet that expanded too much and ruined a lot of meat to one that just punched a 45 caliber hole through the deer and didn't expand at all.  Both bullets killed the deer and if I had the guns sighted in for 50 yards I probably would have been satisfied the results of either.  I just get the feeling, after viewing the destruction, that the Marlin load with the Rem 300 HP, is overkill.  Again if I had put that bullet through the heart lung area I probably would have been happier with it.  I would like to tone it down to where it would be more pleasant to shoot but still keep the accuracy and perhaps have it not take the whole other side  of the deer out.

RJ

[quickdtoo]

Here's a previous discussion on 45-70 bullets, Joel's post is of particular note.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,103494.msg1098284909.html#msg1098284909

From 40 to 200 yds is quite the spread.  Back when I thought I needed a 200 yard load(just in case) I used either the Hornady or Speer 300 gr JHP's at 2200 fps.  Actually I loaded up to 2400 fps, but the recoil was too dangerous.   I had to hold the rifle exactly right, or I risked wearing my scope. The 2200 fps load was fine, but tended to act like a 270 and blow up a lot of good meat at the close ranges,<100 yds, that I've killed all 28 of my deer with the handi with.  I did shoot one at around 125 yds. My current load is the Speer 400 gr FN at what my friend's chrony said was 1750 fps(from both our Handi's) with 44 gr of Re7.  I just looked over at the load data at Real Guns, and they say 1950fps for 44.5 gr of the same. Don't think 1/2 gr would add that.  So, I have no idea what the real velocity is now, but deer fall down with regularity.  I guess that will have to do

[Mac11700]

With the two guns and the two loads I seemed to have gone from one extreme to the the other, from a bullet that expanded too much and ruined a lot of meat to one that just punched a 45 caliber hole through the deer and didn't expand at all.  Both bullets killed the deer and if I had the guns sighted in for 50 yards I probably would have been satisfied the results of either.  I just get the feeling, after viewing the destruction, that the Marlin load with the Rem 300 HP, is overkill.  Again if I had put that bullet through the heart lung area I probably would have been happier with it.  I would like to tone it down to where it would be more pleasant to shoot but still keep the accuracy and perhaps have it not take the whole other side  of the deer out.

RJ

The Remington & Sierra 300 grainers are about as soft as you can get..Drive those 2 hard...and over expansion at close range is way too much...The 300 grain Speer Uni-core at a more sedate velocity is fairly cheap...and extremely accurate...and won't beat you up too bad at the bench...same too for the much more pricier Nosler Partitions...If I knew I was going to be having shots under 100 yards and max shots at 125-150 yards...I would most likely back it down to around 1600-1700 fps...or even lower...and defiantly would opt for the Speer bullet...Heavy bullets just aren't needed for whitetails...nor are the Partitions either for low velocity rounds...I just like the accuracy of them out of all of the 45-70 rifles I have owned...I shoot a lot long range...and to make the 45-70 go the distance with out all of the wind drift and rainbow trajectory...I usually drive them fast...Most don't..and have no need too...and don't like the recoil...Just find your happy medium and stick to it...

Mac